I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has… A sick wife, a newly-made grave, poverty, slander, sinking of spirit, might teach us lessons nowhere else to be learned so well. Trials drive us to the realities of religion. In the matter of faith-healing, health is set before us as if it were the great thing to be desired above all other things. Is it so?
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon - Autobiography (1976), Volume 2. p. 414
Christ's Pruning Knife and the Believer
How would the great work of sanctification go on in a person if they had no trial? Trouble is often the only fire which will burn away the dross that clings to our hearts. Trouble is the pruning-knife which Christ employs in order to make us fruitful in good works. The harvest of the Lord's field is seldom ripened by sunshine only. It must go through its days of wind and rain and storm.
~ J.C. Ryle
Hello Jack and Lena,
ReplyDeleteJust a note to let you know that you are both in our thoughts and prayers. What a beautiful meditation by J.C. Ryle. Sickness, one of life's greatest blessings? Can it really be so? But how often it is when we are oppressed that we draw near to God. In his presence there is peace. May you truly experience His comfort, His peace, His strength as He leads you through this journey. Psalm 37 vs 4 & 5 "Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." Truly as we delight ourselves in the Lord, he plants desires in our hearts, that only He can fulfil.
In Christian love,
Mark and Wilma Sterk
Jack,what a blessing for you to see the impact you have made and still are on all your students at RCS.its encouraging to see the students take the role of awareness of Gods provisions in a difficult life situation and they have just learned what will be valuable for them down lifes road to trust God for all,you are still teaching them just in a different way even though you are not at school daily anymore!
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